Zoe
Girl name · #31 in 2025 · Very well-known
How old is the name Zoe? In official American birth records, Zoe has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Zoe ranks #31 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 5,646 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #33, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 319 girls born in 2025 was named Zoe.
The 145-year story
Zoe first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 23 girls received the name. The high-water mark was 2012: 6,466 babies, ranked #30. Since then the trajectory tells the real story — see the chart for the full 145-year arc. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Zoe per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Zoe against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Zoe in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Zoe is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Zoe is most common
Geography matters for names, and Zoe is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Zoe is most common in DC (15 per 1,000), VT (12 per 1,000), RI (11 per 1,000), MD (7.9 per 1,000), MA (7.5 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 4.3 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Zoe is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Zoe
Statistically, parents drawn to Zoe tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Chloe, Sadie, Ella, Sophie, and Grace.
ChloeSadieEllaSophieGraceLilyAveryZoey
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Zoe | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5,646 | #31 |
| 2024 | 5,733 | #29 |
| 2023 | 5,190 | #36 |
| 2022 | 5,022 | #38 |
| 2021 | 4,739 | #42 |
| 2020 | 4,799 | #40 |
| 2019 | 5,071 | #38 |
| 2018 | 5,124 | #40 |
| 2017 | 5,173 | #41 |
| 2016 | 5,764 | #35 |
| 2015 | 6,051 | #33 |
| 2014 | 5,884 | #32 |
| 2013 | 5,978 | #31 |
| 2012 | 6,466 | #30 |
| 2011 | 6,309 | #31 |
| 2010 | 6,274 | #31 |
| 2009 | 5,152 | #47 |
| 2008 | 4,781 | #58 |
| 2007 | 4,937 | #56 |
| 2006 | 5,153 | #54 |
| 2005 | 4,965 | #58 |
| 2004 | 5,363 | #54 |
| 2003 | 5,087 | #57 |
| 2002 | 4,887 | #60 |
| 2001 | 4,645 | #65 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Zoe?
In official American birth records, the name Zoe first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 23 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Zoe a popular girl name?
Zoe ranked #31 among girls in 2025 with 5,646 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #33.
When was the name Zoe most popular?
Zoe peaked in 2012, when 6,466 American girls received the name (ranked #30 that year). Since 2012 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Zoe?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 319 newborn American girls was named Zoe. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.